him. Even as his gray locks swept the page, a thrush fluttered down
and lighted gently on the bald crown, beginning to sing so sweetly that
Gigi held his breath.

All this the boy saw in that first glimpse before he and the dog parted
the bushes and came out into the clearing. In that instant everything
changed. The dog gave a sharp bark of pleasure. The old man let the
book fall from his hand, and sat staring. The animals leaped from
their slumbers and scuttled away in every direction, some into the hut,
some into the neighboring bushes, some melting as if by magic into the
forest. The squirrel and the thrush took shelter in the treetops.
Only the raven, with ruffled feathers, remained at the old man's side,
turning a fierce little eye upon the newcomer.

By this time Gigi had thrown himself from the dog's back, and stood
feebly leaning against a tree. Released from his burden, the dog
bounded forward, and was soon leaping upon the old man's shoulders,
covering his face and hands and feet with eager kisses.

"Down, Brutus, down!" said the old man, in a tongue which Gigi could
not understand. "Where hast thou been so long, good dog? And what new
pet hast thou brought for my colony?" He looked towards Gigi with
keen, kind eyes. "Come hither, my lad," he said in the same tongue.

But Gigi only stared, not understanding. He was growing afraid of this
queer old man, who spoke a strange language and had wild animals for
his friends; who read, too, in a great black book! Gigi had heard of
wicked wizards and sorcerers, and he believed that he saw one now. He
turned about and tried to run away. But his poor head grew dizzy, and
before he knew it he had fallen, and lay sobbing and shivering, unable